Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Hungry Chipmunk

Do you wanna see one of the cutest little chipmunks ever? Well here he is! Take a good look at him! I not only have several pictures of this little guy, but I also have a new episode of Rat TV featuring this little guy. He really made my day when I found him there on those steps. Let me explain a bit.

I was walking up from the fishing platform where there is a ramp that splits into two sections. The right section leads to these stairs that lead up to the path to the back of the park I was at. When I made the small turn to go to the stairs I saw this chipmunk about two thirds of the way up.

As soon as the chipmunk saw me it of course ran and hid behind one of the steps. It had been hungrily eating something before it hid from me, so I thought maybe I would wait, just in case it might come back. I stood there very still for several minutes before I began to decide it might be time to give up.

Just before I decided to move on, the little chipmunk came back out to find its meal again. I wasn't moving so it didn't pay much attention to me. If you don't move, most animals will not believe you are a threat. They will sometimes completely ignore your presence. Some will even walk right up to you. This chipmunk almost did just that.

I watched it eat for several minutes as it filled its cheeks more and more. This is actually the first chipmunk I've ever seen that stayed long enough for me to watch it fatten its cheeks with food. It was fascinating! At times, this little guy would stuff big pieces of acorns in its mouth without much chewing at all. It would just slide them right in.


This episode of Rat TV is the first that I'm bringing you that can be watched in high definition. You can choose that in the options if your connection is fast enough. It looks good no matter which way you watch it. As usual, it starts out kind of shaky. I'm still having trouble with that. It gets better after a few seconds. This video shows the chipmunk searching back and forth for more acorns and then finding something tasty.

These last two pictures are here mostly so you get to see a nice sampling of the different poses he did. There were so many more, but they're just too many to bring you in one post.

While I was getting these pictures a squirrel came over to a tree and hung there on the trunk chattering angrily at me. I guess he didn't like me paying any attention to the chipmunk while he was there. So I took a few quick pictures of him too, and he was satisfied enough to move on.

Here is one final look at chipmunk cheeks. As long as I stood still he didn't mind my presence. I even waved my arms without him getting nervous. He soon began moving down the steps towards me. Some odd noises from somewhere else finally scared him away. I soon moved on my way as well.

Nature Center Magazine - On what is usually the day for Copas to bring us Exploring The United States, we will bring you a list of the top ten newly discovered species of 2010, including a couple of links to bigger articles detailing the same. Copas will return next week.

24 comments:

  1. I can't watch your video, there's only a blank white space where it should be. The pictures are really good though and he's so cute. That must have been fun watching him.

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  2. I like your post. I love taking pictures but I am not really good at it. BTW Thanks for dropping by my page...Can I exchange links with you?

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  3. Ratty, great shots and video. I love these cheeky chappies. I wonder are they just found in the USA, since I have seen similar small mammals here?

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  4. I enjoyed the video and the pictures. The first picture is simply adorable. It is amazing how much they can stuff in their cheeks.

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  5. No doubt his focus was on food! Looks like he has a good spot for extra vittles!

    Bill:www.wildramblings.com

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  6. His name must be Beau Jowels. Cute little fella he.

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  7. Fun little guys to watch, a plus to have a few nuts to offer.At a celebration in northern Italy they were being sold as pets for twenty euros. I asked if they could sing but failed to make the joke work.Fun story!

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  8. oh he is just adorable...i was in love from the very first pic!!

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  9. Aw, you had me at "chipmunk"!! I LOVE chipmunks!! We don't have them in my yard very often, in fact we have only had one that I can remember. I hear they are a pain if they live around you--chew up your wood, dig holes, etc.--but they would be welcome around my place. :)

    Cute photos, Ratty!

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  10. I can see white stripes on the body of the squirrels at Cerok Tokun, but I don't think they and yours are belonged to the same species.

    Your pictures are getting better and better.

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  11. They are always hungry, aren't they? I always watch them in my backyard... always searching for food that is why I would scatter seeds all over the place.

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  12. Ratty, I have never seen a chipmunk in action so this video is such a treat. He rivals our squirrely friends in the cute department. What a great post, loved it.

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  13. Hi everybody! This is a rare occasion for me where I have time to answer a few comments. It's actually one of my favorite things to do, but there is so little time for it.

    @Ann
    If you want to see it, you might try going directly to YouTube. Here's the address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35fg5lA53I
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    @dondi
    I'm glad you like my page. Thanks. I'll be dropping by yours again soon. It's perfectly fine if you put up a link to me, but I have a very full blogroll so I have a few requirements before I link to anyone. If I see your name here in the comments section often and you have a link to me I'll be happy to return the favor, as long as your site stays compatible with mine.
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    @Mike
    Chipmunks are a type of ground squirrel, so many animals in the squirrel family might resemble them. Chipmunks are only found in North America and northern Asia. I know the Plantain Squirrel, which I think you have, bears a slight resemblance to chipmunks, both having stripes of some kind. There are also other types of squirrels with stripes.
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    @Jean
    I love it when they stuff their cheeks full. It's my favorite thing about them.
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    @Bill
    All of the little critters in that forest stay very fat.
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    @Secondary Roads
    That's a good name. I think I'll make it official. So Beau Jowels it is!
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    @Out On The Prairie
    I guess they never heard of Alvin or The Witch Doctor song.
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    @allotments4you
    They really are the cutest little guys around.
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    @Lin
    This post is only the beginning for chipmunks here. Next week will be dedicated to some chipmunks and a very special little squirrel.
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    @Rainfield
    I know that some Plantain Squirrels and a few other types of tree squirrels have stripes. Chipmunks and tree squirrels are very closely related. A chipmunk though is small enough to fit in the palm of a very small human hand.
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    @Ruthi
    Yeah, I think chipmunks live to eat. They will eat any seeds or nuts that are around. They store them away for lean times.
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    @Poetic Shutterbug
    I'll have an even better video coming some time next week. It shows chipmunks and a little squirrel together, and even a red-winged blackbird.
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  14. Very cool Ratty, you were definitely in the right place at the right time. I loved your video, since we moved here I rarely see chipmunks. Reading the comments I see you have more coming on these little fellows, I look forward to it.

    If you get a chance stop by and meet my little fox squirrel buddies.

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  15. yay, so cutie, looking so filled so much stuff eaten and stored inside :)

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  16. That little chipmunk reminds me of my hamster I had when I was a kid. They'd stuff their cheeks full and then fuller and fuller once more. They're hungry little guys with eyes that are bigger then their stomachs. They do look darn cute don't they.

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  17. That's a great looking video! And I'm glad it is because I never get to see chipmunks in my yard. Funny how the squirrel was chattering at you - now that you've got HD, everybody wants to be on Rat TV!

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  18. Beautiful pictures of the chipmunk! I like your video showing the chipmunk stuffed his cheeks with what he found. Very entertaining to see.

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  19. He's a cutie for sure! I'm glad you got to see this chipmunk so close. They are so much fun to watch. Great photos and video Ratty!

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  20. Oh, that is adorable! I love the video too. I've seen my videos are shaky too - too shaky to post - maybe we should invest in tripods?

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  21. That is one FAT chipmunk that I tend to believe that it is not real

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  22. The video is so cool! I am always waiting for chipmunks to visit us here. I have never seen one in person.

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  23. So adorable! Just look at those chubby cheeks. I wonder how many acorns he has stored in there. Probably enough for the winter and some more. :)

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  24. Aww.. such a cute chipmunk with puffed up cheeks. ^__^ I'm amazed at its nibbling speed and even the amount it can store in that tiny mouth. =D

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